Improvement in harness-motions of power-looms



'the top framing.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OEEICE.

D. M. AYER, on EEWISTON, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN` HARNESS-MOTIONS` OF POWER-LOOMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,697, dated OctoberQl, 1862.

.To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. M. AYER, of Lewiston, in the county of Androscoggin and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Harness-Motion of' Pow,- er-Looms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a left-hand side elevation of a loom with my improvements applied. Fig.'2 is a back view ofthe haruess-motion,partly in section. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same. Figs. 4, 5, 6,and 7 4are views of some of the details, which will be hereinafter explained.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Thisinvention consists in certain improved` means of controlling the operation of the harness of a power-looxn for fancy wea ving, whereby the weaving of a long and very varied pattern is provided for without the necessity of using a pattern-chain of greatlength.

To enable others skilled in the-art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

S S are the side frames of the loom, and T A A. and B B are two series `of levers, each corresponding in number with the heddleframes, oneseries working on a fixed fulcrumpin, a, supported in `a standard, G,.erected upon the top framing, and the other series working in on a fixed t'ulcrum-pin,b,supported in a bracket.D,secured to the inside of the lefthand side frame of the loom. These levers are to carry the heddles, each leaf of which is intended to be secured to the inner end of one of the upper levers and the corresponding end of one ofthe lower ones. The outer nds of the levers A Aare connected outside of the loom-framing with the outer ends of their corresponding levers, B B, by means of stout rods E E and hooks or links c c and d d, and to the outer side of each of the said rods E E there is pivoted by apin, e, a two-hooked lever, F, whose hooksfj", arranged at opposite ends, are both turned inward toward its respective rod E. The levers F Fhave springs g, so applied to them as to exert a tendency to th row out'the lower hook from, and throw in the upper hook toward, their respective rods.

Between the several two-hooked levers F F and the rods E E there are arranged two 1evers, G G, which-work parallel with the side of the loom on fixed fulcra h h', secured in a plate, H, which is bolted to the exterior of the left-hand side of the top framing, T, the upper lever, G, being for the purpose of operating on the upperhooks, ff, of the levers F F,and thereby raising the rods E E, and producing the depression of their respective heddles,and the `lower lever, G', being for operating the upper hooks, ff, for the purpose of producing the` depression of the rods E E and the raising of their respective heddles.

The levers G G derive motion from a third lever, I; which works on a fixed fulcrurn, i, secured in the plate H, and which itself derives motion through `a rod, .T, from a crank or eccentric wrist, j carried by the usual crank` shaft, K, of the loom. The lever l carries two studs, 7c la', which work in slotsZ Z in the levers G G' in such a manner as to cause the upper lever, G, to rise while the lower one, G', is descending, and vice versa, each one making an upward and downward movement for every revolution of the crank-shank and stroke of' the lay.

Outside of the levers G G and F F there is arranged the pattern-chain L L, suspended from and working round a horizontal barrel, M, which is arranged parallel with the side of the loom with its journals in fixed bearings in goose-necksH H', secured to the plate H, and the said chain is operated by the action of a -pawl, m, attached by a pin, m', to the lever G upon aseries of studs, n n, secured in a disk, N, which is fast` on the shaft p of the barrel M. The said barrel is furnished with sprocket-teeth o o, to iit the links of V,the chain and insure the movement of the latter with the barrel.

Above the chai n-barrel there are placed side by side on a fixed fulcrum, q, a series of levers, P P, corresponding in number with the levers F F, and arranged opposite to the upper arms of the latter levers, and to each of these levers there is applied a spring, r,which tends to force its outer arm downward upon the top of the pattern-chain, and at the same time to force its inner arm against the upper arm of its respective two-hooked lever F, and it is through these levers P P that the patternchain controls the operation of the several leaves of the harness. The springs r r, in press` ing the levers P P against F F, act in opposition to the springs g g-that is to say, they tend to force the upper hooks, ff, of the said levers toward their respective rods E E, the springs g g tending to force the lower hooks, f f toward thesaid rods, and the said springs r r should be strong enough to overcome the effectv of those g g. Whenever the patternchain in its movement produced by the action of the pawl m of the lever G upon the studs n n of the disk N presents one ot' its patternpins s s under the outer arm of eitherlever P, the said arm is raised and theinner arm of the said lever is drawn away from its respective lever F, and the latter is 'left under the control of its respective spring g, which presses its vlower hooks, f/, toward its respective rod E far enough to be caught by the lower edge of the lever G in the next descent of the said lever, which is thus caused to depress the rod E and raise its respective leaf of heddles; but when a portion of the chain where there is no pin s is presented opposite to the lever P by the movement of the chain the said lever is left under the control of the spring r, which, by 'pressing it against the lever E, overcomes the pressure of the springg,and forces the upper hook f, of the lever to a position in which it will be caught by the upper edge of the lever G in the -next ascent of that lever, which is thus caused to raise the rod E and depress the leaf of the harness to which the said rod is attached.

That portion of the harness-motion which I have thus far described is not claimed by me as my invention, but only explained to enable the application of my invention to be well understood.

In order to carry out my invention, I construct .the pattern-chain of two separate and independent series of links, L L,jointed together with pins 37 37, and keep the two series at a proper distance apart on the barrel M by iittiug them to grooves provided in the periphery thereof for their reception, and a series of bars, Q, which carry the pattern-pins s s, the said bars being fitted to slide lengthwise parallel with the barrel M, in mortises provided for their reception in both series of links. The construction ofthe links is shown best in Figs. 4 and 5, Fig. 4 being a face view, and Fig. 5 a side view, of portions of the chain,on a larger scale than Figs. 1, 2, 3. Each sliding bar Q has a tenen, t, of square or dat form, at each end, and each link of the chain has a mortise, u, ot' corresponding form, for the reception of one of the tenons of one of the said sliding bars,'the said tenons being f1tted'to slide freely in the said mortises, and being long enough to allow the said bars the requisite amount of longitudinal motion, and yet always to protrude somewhat through the outer faces of the links. The saidbars have each drilled in it, for the reception of the pins s s, a row of holes, the number of which may be equal to two, three, or 4more times the number of leaves of harness, so as to permit the use in the chain of two, three, or more sets of pattern-pins, either ot' which sets may be brought opposite to thelevers P P by moving the bars Q Q longitudinally to the proper position, the set or sets of pins which are not intended be in operation passing between or outside of the said levers without touching them. The shifting of the bars longitudinally in one direction or the other, to throw one set of pins out and the other set into operation, is effected by means of two cam-like guides, R R, which are rigidly secured to a bar, R,which isl arranged to slide longitudinally in a direction parallel with the shaft,` the upper portions of these guides being at such distance apart asjust make room for the bars Q Q to pass between them. By moving the bar R longitudinally, the guides are brought to such a position that the ends of the bars Q Q will come in contact with one or other of them as they are severally brought up to the barrtl by the revolution ot' the latter and the consequent movement ot' the chain, and as the bars approach the top of t-he barrel they are caused to be shifted vby passing in contact with the guide. The guides R R are stationary at the time ot the shitting of the bars, vthe longitudinal movement of the bar R to shift the guides, when such movement takes place, preceding the movement of the chain. The bar R is fitted to guides in the goese-necks H H', and the guides R Rare made forked, to fit the shaft p of the drum, which is thus made to steady them and prevent the bar R' from turning.

The principal parts of the mechanism for shifting the bar R and its attached guides R R consist of a cam, S, which is fitted to turn loosely on the chain-barrel shaft and a pin barrel or drum, T, which is arranged to turn upon a fixed horizontal shaft, U, secured in theV plate H and occupying a position at right angles to the shat'tp and parallel with the harness of the loom. The said cam S is what is known as a face-cam,77 operating in a direction parallel with its shaft, and its face is composed of a series of recesses, 12 12, two series ot' incl-ined steps, 13 13 and 14 14. One end of the b ar R is kept in contact with the said face by means ot' a spiral spring, u', connecting oneof the guides R R with one of the goose-necks H H', and the said bar and the'guides R R occupy one of three different positions, according to whether one of the recesses 12 12 or the top of one of the steps 13 13, or of one of the l more prominent steps 14 14, is presented by the cam opposite t`o the contiguous end of the said bar, and in each of such three positions one of three separate sets of pattern-pins s s is caused to be presented by the bars Q Q in range with the levers P P.

Thebars Q Q have each twelve pin-holes, to

receive three sets of pins, the number of sets always corresponding with the number of different series of surfaces on the cam, which number may be greater or less, as may be desired, the greatest variation of the pattern being of course provided for by the greater number of diii'erent series of surfaces on the cam and of different sets of pins in the chain.

The cam S has secured to it aratchet-wheel,`

circumference ofthe said wheel is exposed. to

permit its teeth to be acted upon by apawl, y, carried by an arm, y', which is tilted to oscillate upon the shaft p independently of the cam, ratchet-wheel, and box V. The pin t, which' attaches the pawl y to theA arm, y', is elongated beyond the said arm, as shown in Fig. 3, t0 be received in asmall fork, y,which is secured in the lever G,that the necessary movement 'of the arm y to make the pawl opA erateupon and turn the ratchetwheel maybe produced by the movement ot' the said lever, hereinafterdescribed. The :1t-tion of the pawl upon the ratchet-wheel is, however, only permitted when the opening w x oi the box V is brought to the properl position to permit the entrance of the pawl, and the position of this opening at the time of the movement of the pawl in a direction to turnthe said wheel is controlled by the studded drum T through the agency ot the lever` W. This lever, part of which is situated over the top ot' the drum, has one end attached by a fulcrumpin, z, to a standard, z', that is firmly secured to the end of the fixed shaft U, and has the other end connected by a rod, z3, with an arm, V, .that is rigidly secured to the box Vf, and the said lever has a downward projection, 15, for the purpose ofbearing upon the periphery of the drum T, or upon the extremity of one ofthe pins 16 16 16 16X,Which are inserted tightly into holes 17 17, provided in the said periphery for their reception, and a spring, 20, is applied to the said lever to pull it down and bring the said projection 15 to a bearing upon the drum or upon one of.its pins, incase its weight is not suicient when the said lever is not raised up by an arm, 19, provided on the lever G for that purpose, the said arm acting upon a projection, 18, provided on the sideof the lever W. The pins 16 1616X '16X in the drum T are 0f two different lengths,

V V and cam S, such direction being `indicated by an arrow near the pawlin Fig. 8, and at the same time its arm 19 raises the lever W more or less, according as its projection 15 has been previously resting directly upon the periphery of the drum T or upon one of its pins 16 16X. The downward movement of the said level' G draws back the pawl over the ratchet-wheel, and at the same time permits the descent of the lever W. The upward movement of the lever W causes the rod z3, by its action on the arm V2 0E the ratchet-box, to turn the ratchetbox in the opposite direction to that in which the pawl y moves to turn the ratchet-wheel, as indicated by an arrow on the box in Fig. 8, and the downward movement of the said lever turns the ratchet-box back again.` When the `lever drops with its 'projection 15 directly up- 4interposed between the pawl and the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, as shown in Fig. B, the edge x of the opening w m of the` said box having passed some distance beyond the point of the pawl, and the consequence is that when the leverris next raised, and the pawl and box are moved in the direction indicated by their respectivearrowsin Fig. 8, the point of the pawl will only just pass the edge x ot' the opening in the box, and will not operate upon the ratchet-wheel; but when the lever drops upon one ot' the shorter pins, 16. the edge a' of the opening passes back so little beyond the point of the pawl that'` when the lever is next raised the pawlpasses over the edge m, and, by con1- ing into operation on lthe ratchet-wheel, will move the said wheel and the cam S a short distauceand when the lever drops upon a long pin, 16X, the edge x of the opening does not pass the point ot' the pawl, so that when the lever is next raised, the pawl comes at once into operation on the ratchet-'wheel and moves thc said wheel and the cam Stwice as far as When the lever W had dropped upon one ol' the shorter pins. The distance which the cani S is moved after the lever has'dropped upon a short pin, 16, is sufticient to move one of the recesses 12 from opposite the end ofthe bar R and present the top of one of the steps 13 opposite thereto to remove one of the latter steps and present the top of one of the higher steps, or to remove one ot' the last-mentioned steps and present one ofthe recesses; or, in other wordls, to cause the said cam lo move the said bar far enough to cause the guides R R t0 produce the shil't- Ving of the sliding bars Q Q of the patternchain far enough to remove one set of patternpins s s out ot' range with and bring the next set in range with the levers'l? P; but the distance which the said cam is moved after the lever has dropped upon along pin, 16X, is sufficient to remove one of the recesses 12 12 from tions relatively to the levers P P l. It will thus be seen that the two sets of pins 16 16 and 16X 16X provide for the changing of the positions of any two of the three sets of pat-A tern-pins on the chain to bring either set into operation on the levers P P, by which means great variety in the pattern is provided for. The cam is held secure in the position to which it is moved by the action of the pawl upon the ratchet-wheel, partly by means ofa brakespring, S', bearing upon its periphlery, and partly by the tops of the steps 13 13 and 14 14 being very slightly notched for the reception of the end ot' the bar R'.

lt has been hereinbefore mentioned that the "pins 16 16 and 16 16X are arranged upon the drum in a spiral line. This line, being continued many times round the drum, admits of the use of a large number of pins, and hence enables a very long and varied pattern to be woven. The holes 17 17, in which the pins are inserted, are at equal distances apart on the said line, and the pins are inserted at such intervals as the pattern to be woven may require. In order to present the several pins to the projection 15 of the lever W in proper order of succession, it is necessary that the drum T have a movement lengthwise of the shaft U, as well as a rotary movement thereon, such movements having a relation to each other corresponding with the pitch of the aforesaid spiral line. The rotary movement of the said drum is produced intermittently to the extent of the distance between two pin-holes, 17 17, for every revolution of the crank-shaft K and beat of the lay by the action of a pawl, 21, upon a ratchet wheel, T', attached to the drum. The said pawl 21 is attached to a lever, T2, (see Fig. 3.)Which is titled to oscillate upon the fixed drumshaft U, and which is raised to make the paw] produce the action of the ratchet-wheel by the action of the lever G up a pin,22, attached to its extremityand depressed again to carry back the pawl by means of a spring, 23, attached to the plate H. The said ratchet-wheel is tted to the fixed drumshaft in such a manner as to be capable of turning upon the shaft, but incapable of moving longitudinally thereon; and to permit the movement ofthe drum lengthwise vof the shaft, the said ratchet-wheel is attached to the drum by means of two straight pins, 24, attached rigidly to the wheel parallel with the sha t, and entering holes in the drum. The number of teeth in the ratchet-wheel cor! responds with the number of holes in one circumference of the drum, and the said wheel is prevented from moving more than one tooth at a time, and the drum always caused to stop with its pin-holes under the projection 15 of the lever W by means of a friction-brake, 25, applied to a brake-rim provided on one side ofthe ratchet-wheel. To provide for the movement of the drum S lengthwise upon the shaft, the hub is made with a screwthread, 40, in its bore, the pitch of the said thread being equal to that of the spiral line on which the pin-holes of the. drum are situated, and the shaft U is slotted longitudinally and vertically, for the reception of two levers, X X', and a spring-catch, 26. (See Figs. 6 and 7, of which Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the drum and shaft, and Fig. 7 a transverse section of the shaft.) The lever X works von a fulcrumpin, 27, which is-inserted across the slot 30 in the shaft U. One end of the said lever is furnished with a tooth, 29, to enter the screwthread of the hub, and this end of the said lever is made heavier than the other, in order to give the tooth a tendency to drop from the screw-thread when the other end of the lever is not held down by the hookof thel spring-catch 26. The lever X' works on a fulcrum-pin, 28, which is insert-ed across the slot 30, and that end ofthe said lever which is next to the lever X is the heaviest. and situated under the latter lever. The other end is turned upward and beveled off toward the fulcrum,

as shown at 3l in Fig. 6. There is also applied to the drum a spiral spring, Y, which is coiled around the shaft, and so applied between tbe hub and a disk, 32, secured to the shaft, that it exerts a constant tendency to press the drum toward the ratchet-wheel T'. At the commencement of a pattern the drum is close up to the ratchet-wheel; but as the op-v eration of the loom proceeds the rotary motion of the drum T', vobtained as above described, oauses the screwthread 40 inthe hub to travel upon the tooth 29 of the lever X, and the drum is thereby carried along the shaft in such manner that its spiral line of pattern= pins passes under the projection 15 ot' the lever W. As the end ot' this spiral line arrives at the projection 15 and a pattern is tinished, a pin, 34, rigidly secured in the hub of the drun1,comes into operation on the springcatch 26, and presses it aside far'enough to liberate the lever X. the heavier end of which then drops by gravitation and removes the tooth 29 from the screw-thread 26, leaving the drum free to be pushed by the spring y directly back along the shaft, in a very sudden manner, to the position for commencing the repetition of the pattern. The tooth 29 is ref placed in the screw-thread 26 by means ofthe lever Xf,the turned-up end of which is caused by the greater weight of the other end to project up above the top of the shaft U as soon as the hub has left it uncovered. When the drum is driven back by the spring Y, as just above described, it is driven baclcwith suchV force that by the action of its hub upon the bevel 3l of the lever X' it forces down the turned-up end thereof and throws up the opposite end against the toothed end of the other lever, X, and so lifts the tooth into the screwthread again, while by the depression of the opposite end of X itpermits the hook of the spring catch 26 to pass over thel ter end,and so lock the latter lever with its tooth in gear with the screw-thread 40, ready for the repetition of the operation of the line of pins 16 16 16X 16)?, which is at once commenced. In order to prevent the too violent concussion of 1x lA the drum against the collar 33, provided on the shaft U to stop it when driven back by the spring Y, a leather collar or Washer, 35, is applied against the said collar.

The drum T and its appurtenances may be applied in combination with sliding patternpin bars, tted to grooves in a pattern-cylinder arranged to operate upon the levers P P, or their equivalents, the mode of their application being the same as to the pattern-pin bars Q Q,ftted to the pattern-chain described.

I do not claim the fitting of a pattern-cylinder with longitudinally-sliding bars containing the pattern-pins; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The construction of a pattern-chain of a series of pinjointed links provided With mor` tises u u, and-a series of pin-bars, Q Q, tted i Within the shaft, a pin, 34, attached to the drum, and aspring, Y, applied between the drum and shaft, the Whole combined and operating, substantially as herein specified.

DAVID COWAN, S. H. GARoELoN. 

